< BURN MY SOUL | Story
Chapter 6: What's in This Chest
この胸にあるもの (? (edit))
この胸にあるもの (? (edit))
Character appearances:
Street SEKAI
crase cafe
crase cafe
Akito
Take turns singing with...you, Luka-san?
Luka
Yep!
Akito
Why would you ask to do something like that...?
Luka
Because I want you to pour everything out, obviously!
Akito
That's...singing from the heart like Ken-san told me to, right? Is that possible, just by taking turns singing...?
Luka
Hmmm~ In that case, let's make it a battle! That'll get you motivated, won't it?
Luka
Or...you're not gonna chicken out, are you~?
Akito
I don't wanna fall for cheap bait like that, but...
Akito
(But...)
Akito
(It seems like Luka-san noticed something that I haven't, just through intuition.)
Akito
——I understand. Let's do it.
Luka
Yay! Thank you, Akito-kun! I'm better at saying what I mean through singing, so this helps a ton!
MEIKO
You strong-armed him into it pretty easily, Luka.
Luka
This is just how I do things! Ah, then can I leave judging our fight to you guys?
Len
Oh, sounds fun! I'm in, I'm in!
Luka
Thanks! Then, let's get this thing started! Who's up first...d'you mind if I go?
Akito
No. That's fine by me.
Luka
Aaalright, then I'll go full throttle~!!
Luka
♪————!!
Akito
(...Luka-san's so high level. She can jump into long notes right off the bat——)
Akito
...Hm?
Akito
(This song...I feel like I've heard it before...)
Akito
(Ah...right. This is the song she sang when we all went camping——)
Luka
♪————!!
Akito
(...She seems pretty happy. For some reason, her smile's contagious.)
Luka
...Yeah! That seems good for a start, right? Next up is Akito-kun, go for it——!
Akito
...Okay!
Akito
♪————!!
Akito
(Luka-san's singing just now was really nice.)
Akito
(But...what was she trying to say to me with that?)
Luka
Yeah, yeah, not bad at all——! I'll kick it up a notch from here!
Luka
♪————!!
Akito
...!!
Len
Huh? The way she's singing is totally different from before!
MEIKO
You're right. But, isn't this song...?
Akito
(If I'm remembering right, this is what I sung when I went up against Shepherd...!!)
Akito
(...A lot happened back then.)
Akito
(Back then, I managed to get over a wall that I'd run into in the past. But I thought I couldn't let myself be satisfied with that...)
Akito
(After that——Taiga-san said I was a little similar to Ken-san, and I managed to let go of some of the weight on my shoulders.)
Luka
♪————!!
Akito
(But...Len was right when he said that the vibe had totally changed...she really is versatile.)
Akito
(And...what is this? It's not just a vibe. It feels like she's stirring something up.)
Akito
(Something deep in my heart——)
Luka
♪————! ♪————!
Luka
...Phew. Next is your turn, Akito-kun!
Luka
Throw more of your feelings at me, Akito-kun, everything you've got!
Akito
My...feelings...?
Luka
Yeah! I'm sure there's a ton of things you've felt up until now, Akito-kun. Let's throw 'em around!
Akito
Everything I've felt until now...
Flashback
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End flashback
Akito
(What I'm feeling...right now...)
Akito
♪...————
Luka
Good, good! Just like that, Akito-kun!
Len
...Did you feel that, MEIKO?! Something about Akito's vibe changed just now, right?
MEIKO
Yeah. It's just a little, but...
MEIKO
...I see. So that's how it is.
Len
Eh, what, what?
MEIKO
Luka, she's pulling Akito's feelings out and setting them free.
Len
Setting them free?
MEIKO
Yes.
MEIKO
When Akito sings, I think he sets his sights somewhere higher——with the idea of "surpassing" something in his mind.
MEIKO
There's nothing wrong with that way of doing things. The reason Akito was able to grow this far is because he's single-minded like that.
MEIKO
But, I'm sure——he's repressed a lot of feelings because of that.
MEIKO
He gave up things he enjoyed so he could surpass himself. He'd stifle and ignore any sadness or anxiety he felt.
MEIKO
Shackles like that——self-control like that is necessary to move forward. But Akito-kun's done enough of that already.
MEIKO
Akito-kun is ready for the next step.
MEIKO
He can unleash all of the emotions he suppressed so he could grow, and put them into his singing with all his strength——
MEIKO
That's what she's trying to teach him. She's trying to make Akito-kun realize the importance of everything he's felt.
MEIKO
...Ken-san probably thought the same thing, and that's why he was singing with him one-on-one.
MEIKO
But Ken-san is a special person to Akito-kun...so he tensed up around him.
MEIKO
But, if its Luka——
Luka
♪————————————!!
Akito
(...It's weird.)
Akito
(My feelings are bubbling to the surface naturally.)
Akito
(The fun, the heat, the frustration——)
Flashback
Ken
Don't worry about it. You've already got everything you need.
End flashback
Akito
...! I get it...!
Akito
If I take everything that's bubbling up inside me and pour it into my singing...
Luka
Akito-kun, stoooooooooop!!
Akito
Kh...!
Len
Wha...! What's the matter, Luka? Right when Akito finally got into it!
Luka
Um, you're right, but...
Luka
——I think he should leave the rest of it for when he goes up against Ken-san.
Luka
Right now, I bet there's all sorts of things swirling around inside Akito-kun.
Luka
But the person to face that shouldn't be me.
Luka
Go throw all of that at the Ken-san you admire!
Akito
...Gotcha, I understand.
Akito
Thank you very much. Thanks to you, Luka-san, I feel like I've gotten the hang of it.
Luka
Fufu, I'm glad!
Luka
In that case, Akito-kun, you've gotta go pour all your feelings out at him!